Author | Lightnews

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 11h

Thanks. I'm no longer certain what our official USA conscience allows for these days.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 11h

High rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria found in West Bank hospitals in 2023. More than one third of the 10,007 bacterial isolates collected from 13 West Bank hospitals were classified as multidrug-resistant in 2023. aricjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

A nationwide cross-sectional study of antimicrobial resistance in Palestinian hospitals: insights from 10,000 clinical isolates - Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control

Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis, but its burden is magnified in conflict-affected, resource-limited settings. We present the first national-scale assessment of AMR ...

aricjournal.biomedcentral.com

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 12h

If you want to switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan to regular Medicare, check carefully! There is no guarantee you can buy Medigap supplemental coverage for deductibles & copays. You can be rejected for pre-existing conditions in most states.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 12h

Reminder. If you have Part D Medicare for prescriptions, check your coverage now for 2026. Premiums change and so do the drugs each plan will & won't cover. The Plan D you choose now will be for all of 2026. Choose carefully.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 14h

Anchorage be careful if driving today. After our first significant snowfall of the season yesterday (6-8"), Anchorage police have responded to 42 crashes and another 49 vehicles in distress so far. The first day is always a gotcha.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 1d

While other federal and military retirees will be paid during the shutdown, NOAA and USPHS (Public Health Service) retirees like us will not get their pensions. So if you know someone retired from USPHS or NOAA, check on them, please. They may need your help. www.militarydefense.com/pending-clas....

Pending Legal Action: USPHS and NOAA Retirees Left Without Pay During Government Shutdown

The Law Offices of David P. Sheldon, PLLC is preparing a class action against the U.S. government for withholding pay from USPHS and NOAA retirees during the government shutdown. Learn who’s affected,...

www.militarydefense.com

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 1d

Sequence of chronic conditions before COVID-19 infection rather than any single condition may best predict development of long-COVID. Most common trajectories involved mental illnesses & neurologic, respiratory, and metabolic or digestive disease. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/ord...

The order of pre-COVID chronic conditions may best predict long-COVID risk

The most common disease trajectories involved mental illnesses and neurologic, respiratory, and metabolic or digestive diseases.

www.cidrap.umn.edu

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 2d

UCLA meta-analysis ties viruses (flu, COVID-19, Hep C, shingles) to dramatically higher risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack & stroke in the weeks after infection, & viruses that linger in the body like HIV can raise long-term risk. www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-ge...

Some common viruses may steeply raise risk of cardiovascular disease

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 3d

Much cheaper this way, I guess.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 3d

Dr. Jay Butler, a nationally recognized expert in infectious diseases has been selected to head the College of Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He recently left his position as deputy director for infectious diseases at the CDC. alaskapublic.org/news/educati...

UAA taps veteran Alaska medical professional as new College of Health dean

An Alaska and Arctic health veteran has been selected to head the College of Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

alaskapublic.org

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 4d

COVID vaccination cuts risk of long-term symptoms in teens by over 1/3, data suggest. COVID-19 vaccine is unique in having this effect on progression to a chronic condition despite infection, Mass General researchers say. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/cov...

COVID vaccination cuts risk of long-term symptoms in teens by over a third, data suggest

www.cidrap.umn.edu

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 6d

Today 66,000 Alaskans woke up without SNAP benefits, leaving over 9% of our state hungry. It's a public health emergency. And a crying shame.

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 7d

"Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat." To those in Anchorage who will not receive WIC/SNAP tomorrow, go here to find food assistance. TO THE REST OF US fortunate enough to have a full pantry, GIVE!! Give $, give food, open your door & your heart & your table. anchoragefood.org?utm_source=c...

Find a Free Food Pantry in Anchorage | Get Help with Food in Anchorage, Alaska

Find a location where you can get free food today in Anchorage Alaska. There are several free food pantry locations in Anchorage.

anchoragefood.org

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 7d

But our neighbors still won't get their benefits tomorrow so while we celebrate, remember to show largesse.

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 10d

Louisiana officials waited more than 3 months after 2 whooping cough deaths to issue a statewide health alert about deadly pertussis outbreak, investigation finds. www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak

After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response.

www.npr.org

Reposted by Reva L. Katz, MSci.

ProPublica @propublica.org · 14d

We asked people who lived in homeless encampments that were cleared out in city “sweeps” to write about what object was the hardest for them to lose.

“They took my baby pictures and my moms obituaries,” a man in California wrote.

(Published Dec. 2024)

“I Have Lost Everything”: The Toll of Cities’ Homeless Sweeps

Cities often take belongings — including important documents and irreplaceable mementos — when they conduct sweeps of homeless encampments. ProPublica gave notecards to people across the country so th...

projects.propublica.org

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 14d

Iceland confirmed discovery of 3 Culiseta annulata mosquitoes The mosquitoes are 1st mosquitoes in Iceland's history. They likely arrived by freight and appeared to be able to withstand Iceland's climate. www.npr.org/2025/10/22/n...

Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms

The discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes was confirmed this week by the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, which said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight.

www.npr.org

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 15d

Sorry. Clinical trial finds that the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine is no better than placebo in terms of functional capacity, respiratory function, symptoms such as depression or fatigue, or inflammation in long-COVID patients 1 year after infection. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/onc...

Once-promising anti-inflammatory drug fails to improve long-COVID functional outcomes in trial

The findings underscore the need to explore alternative therapeutic approaches to managing persistent symptoms, the authors say.

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 15d

Older adults should get the vaccine every 2 years. People over 50 with certain underlying medical conditions are also eligible.

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 15d

RSV vaccine for older adults 92% protective against poor outcomes, real-world study estimates. Adjusted effectiveness against emergency department visits/hospitalizations was 95% among patients aged 75 and older. www.cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-...

RSV vaccine for older adults 92% protective against poor outcomes, real-world study estimates

www.cidrap.umn.edu

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Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 16d

The CDC dashboards may be gone, but wastewater testing for diseases continues & timely local and national data is available online to the public. Thanks, WastewaterSCAN.
data.wastewaterscan.org?plantId=2d6e...

WastewaterSCAN Dashboard

WastewaterSCAN Data Dashboard tracks infectious diseases across the US via wastewater surveillance.

data.wastewaterscan.org

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 16d

Altogether across the country, more than 42 million Americans rely on the food stamp program, which the federal government funds and individual states administer.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 16d

Similar warning messages went out from other states starting Friday. In Kentucky, 1 in 8 residents receives food aid, Gov. Beshear said pending cut makes this “a scary and stressful time.”
In Oklahoma, over half a million receive food stamps & are expected to lose that help.

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 16d

In its written statement, the division said that it tried to pay for the program with state money “and determined that a state subsidy was not mechanically possible under the federal payment system.”

Reva L. Katz, MSci. @epireva.bsky.social · 16d

Monday, Alaska Division of Public Assistance said the federal government directed it to stop issuing SNAP (food stamps) benefits to 66,471 Alaskans on Nov 1 due to insufficient funds, even if they are authorized to receive them.
alaskabeacon.com/briefs/more-...

More than 66,000 Alaskans will lose food stamps within weeks if government shutdown continues | Alaska Beacon

Nationwide, more than 42 million people could lose federally paid and state administered support that keeps them from going hungry.

alaskabeacon.com

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